Syracuse, NY -- Holiday shopping season onslaught: You may have read the story posted earlier today about Macy's plans for Black Friday. Yes, opening at midnight. Target's doing the same, it announced last week. And now? Even earlier. A day earlier. Read on...

From Progressive Grocer:

Mile-high Targets Open on Turkey Day

Target Corp. is experimenting with limited hours on Thanksgiving Day at its 29 stores in the Denver market.

Target stores in Denver will be open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day; all other Target stores will remain closed for the day. “Target always looks for ways to provide our guests with an exceptional shopping experience and one-stop convenience,” said Annette Miller, Target’s senior VP of grocery. “Our Denver guests can stop in on Thanksgiving for any last-minute shopping needs.”

Target is piloting limited hours on Thanksgiving Day in Denver because it continues to be a strong grocery market, the company reports, featuring numerous SuperTargets and stores with the expanded fresh-food layout. Target plans to evaluate the Denver test before making decisions about whether to expand Thanksgiving hours to other markets in the future.

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. operates 1,767 stores across the United States and plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013.

My comments: I don't make this prediction with glee, but mark my words -- and I've said this before -- it won't be long before every major retailer will feel the need to open on Thanksgiving. Shopping centers and malls to follow.

Kmart and Big Lots got that ball rolling big time a few years back. Others jumped in more recently. And face it: Opening at midnight on Friday is only a minute's tick forward from being open on Thanksgiving.

I don't think mass openings on Thanksgiving will happen for a few years... a few short years. Target will likely call the Denver T-Day openings a success, then go nationwide next year. And others will be watching, and, perhaps, going for it, too.